I just wrote the NCLEX yesterday. Obviously I'm freaked out right now. I've taken the process slowly, I graduated 2.5 years ago and since then took the Kaplan course twice, applied for Visa's etc, studyed on my own and finally crammed like crazy this month to write the NCLEX...FINALLY.
So I'm a little weirded out, the exam seemed very similar to the Canadian exam, in the sense that all the questions were ambigious and out there! The Canadian exam is all psycho-social and VERY general. I came out of the NCLEX feeling exactly the same. I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER I PASSED OR FAILED.
It stopped at 75 questions, although I swear it must have been 74! I even went to the bathroom at 73 questions, fully expecting the exam to be over 100 questions...so I was taken by suprise when it stopped at 74/75. I was relieved as I didn't have the desire to sit there answering questions all day... I had 3 hours of sleep that night, drove three hours from Vancouver to seattle, and started my exam at 8am....I WAS TIRED....so anything over 75 and I think I would have royally screwed up.
Anyway the questions were: alot of delegating (which patient would you give to an RN, assistant, LPN), a ton of prioritizing (which patient to see first), a lot about diet (meal plans for ppl with specific illnesses), 4/5 med questions, two math caluculations, some of the meds were so out there...I really don't know chemo meds sooo....
Kaplans prioritizing stratagy is an asset I think and I studied the " illustrated guide for the NCLEX-RN" - I loved this book: Very colorful with pictures and easy to learn and review. HOwever, the exam had nothing that I learned about...it was all prioritizing and delegating....okay maybe 15% of the exam dealt with anatomy/physiology knowledge.
I just don't know where to stand, what to think....I read for foreign educated nurses that pass rate is 68% first time around.
Two more days and I find out!! Worried. The whole process costs too much to 'happily' do it again...and I really want to travel nurse. :uhoh21:
